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G20 leaders urged to 'call out' China over rights crackdown

Rights group condemns the Chinese government's severe restrictions on activist groups ahead of summit
G20 leaders urged to 'call out' China over rights crackdown
Published: August 31, 2016 09:44 AM GMT
Updated: August 31, 2016 09:45 AM GMT

National governments attending the upcoming G20 meeting in Hangzhou should call upon China's government to end its relentless crackdown on Chinese activist groups, said the New York based Human Rights Watch (HRW).

"China's disregard for activist groups is evident in its crackdown at home and the severe restrictions it placed on them at the G20 summit," said Sophie Richardson, China director in a press release.

"It's important for G20 leaders to publicly and privately call out China for its abusive practices, or share the blame for the sorry treatment of activists around the summit."

HRW said that they sent a letter outlining human rights concerns in China to all 20 heads of government would attend the annual meeting held Sept. 4-5.

The letter notes abuses of religious freedom of Christians in Hangzhou, and the ways in which Beijing's hostility toward independent voices has compromised the G20 by limiting independent groups' participation in the civil society (C20) and labor (L20) preparatory meetings.

"If the G20 is serious about consulting civil society groups, its leaders will have to tour China's prisons, not the conference venue in Hangzhou," Richardson said. "Letting China host this meeting and staying silent on its abuses will send the Chinese government — and people across China — absolutely the wrong message."

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